Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

I am a part of the part that at first was all, part of the darkness that gave birth to the light, that supercilious light which now disputes with Mother Night her ancient rank and space, and yet cannot succeed; no matter how it struggles, it sticks to matter and can't get free. Light flows from substance, makes it beautiful.

Thought expands, but paralyzes; action animates, but narrows.

Let's plunge ourselves into the roar of time, the whirl of accident; may pain and pleasure, success and failure, shift as they will -- it's only action that can make a man.

A leaf that is destined to grow large is full of grooves and wrinkles at the start. Now if one has no patience and wants it smooth offhand like a willow leaf, there is trouble ahead.

I respect the man who knows distinctly what he wants.

One man's word is no man's word; we should quietly hear both sides.

A distracted existence leads us to no goal

The important thing in life is to have a great aim, and the determination to attain it.

Everybody wants to be somebody; nobody wants to grow.

We are accustomed to see men deride what they do not understand, and snarl at the good and beautiful because it lies beyond their sympathies

Every author in some way portrays himself in his works, even if it be against his will.

Every day look at a beautiful picture, read a beautiful poem, listen to some beautiful music, and if possible, say some reasonable thing.

For the butterfly, mating and propagation involve the sacrifice of life, for the human being, the sacrifice of beauty.

[W]hat counts is that one perceives excellence and dares to give it expression, which sounds little but is in fact a great deal.

In the end we retain from our studies only that which we practically apply.

if only these treasures were not so fragile as they are precious and beautiful.

The assault of our enemies is not part of our life; it is only part of our experience; we throw it off and guard ourselves against it as against frost, storm, rain, hail, or any other of the external evils which may be expected to happen.

The thinker makes a great mistake when he asks after cause and effect. They both together make up the indivisible phenomenon.

Look closely at those who patronize you. Half are unfeeling, half untaught.

The real scholar learns how to evolve the unknown from the known, and draws near the master.

The most happy man is he who knows how to bring into relation the end and beginning of his life.